Teaching artists

This morning I was reflecting on the art courses I have taught. Ever since the first day I enrolled in art school it has always been my desire to be an art professor. They seem to have the perfect job for an artist. They get to teach and interact with other artists, which helps develop work and ideas, they are required to participate in exhibitions and showings of their work, which builds their professionalism and recognition, and they have the benefit of salaried employment.

I have recently begun to move in another direction away from teaching, and I'm not sure what, if any, affect this will have on my art. When I completed my B.F.A I went on and earned an M.S.Ed in College Teaching with a specialization in Art. One would think this would be perfect for teaching art at the collegiate level. But all I have managed to secure in the last four years since graduating is a series of adjunct, part-time teaching positions. I have had interviews, and I have had more than one person tell me that they either cannot hire me, or they will not hire me because I do not have an M.F.A. I find it ironic that a field that prides itself on forward thinking, originality, and problem solving is mired in old traditions. I am also sure I am not the only art instructor with a passion for teaching that has been passed over for full-time jobs. The policy makers of education, not just the education of artists but educators as a whole, need to expand their thinking. I'm going to close this posting with a few images of past student works. Post your comments, see you next week.